'For all your gaming needs, KookminTree presents the big data game rankings for the third week of January 2026. KookminTree curates these rankings every week by analysing search trends across major portals. Let’s dive into what titles are currently capturing the collective curiosity of the gaming community.

Mobile: 'Dugun Dugun Town' storms into the Top 10

Hello there. Welcome to our third big data game ranking report of January 2026. This week, we have a fresh face gracing the upper echelons of the mobile chart: XD's new slice-of-life simulation, 'Dugun Dugun Town'. It has made a rather impressive debut, securing the 7th spot right out of the gate. Holding its own against such seasoned veterans is no small feat.

The game leans heavily into themes of creativity, freedom, and serenity. Rather than chasing raw efficiency, it focuses on the simple, bespoke experience of crafting your own daily routine. In Dugun Dugun Town, you are free to build your dream home, indulge in various hobbies, and mingle with neighbours at your own pace. Notably, the developers have ditched stamina limits, daily chores, and forced progression goals. If that sounds like the kind of low-stress environment you crave, it is certainly worth a closer look.

Elsewhere in the top 10, 'Seven Knights Re:BIRTH' and 'Teamfight Tactics' are both trending upwards. New content drops have clearly given their search volumes a much-needed boost. While a climb of just one or two spots might seem modest, in this fiercely competitive bracket, it is a significant indicator of healthy momentum.

Outside the top 10, 'Guipan Obunjeon' and 'Cookie Run: Kingdom' are catching the eye. The former is still riding the wave of its launch buzz, jumping 12 spots last week and another four this week as it edges closer to the top tier. Mind you, the inevitable 'honeymoon period' will soon fade, so they will need to conjure up some fresh fuel to keep this fire burning.

As for Cookie Run: Kingdom, anticipation is reaching a fever pitch ahead of its 5th-anniversary celebrations. A special broadcast on 12 January teased a bounty of new content. Specifically, the devs are planning a grand-scale 'Total War' narrative arc. Given the sheer scale of the project, it will be rolled out in three phases leading up to March, ensuring search interest remains on an upward trajectory.

Online: 'Vindictus' soars on the back of a new character

'Vindictus' has pulled off a stellar performance, climbing eight spots to break into the top 20. The catalyst is undeniable: the arrival of the new character, Kaelia. Wielding a heavy greatsword that functions as both a single and two-handed weapon, her playstyle is all about the fluid transition between offence and defence. It is a combo-heavy system that rewards players for chaining skills in response to the flow of battle.

To celebrate 16 years of service, Vindictus is also gifting a 'Vindictus 16th Anniversary Coupon' to anyone who logs in before 5 February. That is not all, though; there are coupon exchanges for various loot boxes, login-time rewards, and 'hot time' events to keep the servers buzzing. It is a substantial enough event that the game should maintain this momentum for quite some time.

Up at the top, we have seen some musical chairs between 'VALORANT', 'Lost Ark', 'Minecraft', and 'Diablo 4'. The latter’s impressive run has hit a wall this third week of January. Search volume is on the decline, and the developers might want to start worrying about what lies beneath rather than looking up. Maintaining a top 10 spot until the expansion drops in April is looking like a tall order.

Meanwhile, although Lost Ark has slipped a spot, it is gunning to reclaim 4th place thanks to its recent update. VALORANT’s numbers saw a significant bump this week, allowing it to edge ahead for now, but the battle is far from over. We shall see how the scramble for 4th place plays out next week.

Steam: 'PUBG' retakes the crown

Ah, the ever-chaotic Steam charts. The reign of 'Yeonun' has concluded, and the throne has been reclaimed by the old guard, 'PUBG'. It seems the frenzy around the new release is finally cooling down. Looking at the current Steam top 10, only two titles released since October 2025 remain, while the darlings of late last year have largely drifted out of the limelight.

Naturally, the top spots are being filled once again by the heavy hitters: 'Hogwarts Legacy', 'It Takes Two', 'Hades', and 'Stardew Valley'. Further down, we are seeing a resurgence from the likes of 'Split Fiction' (12th, +4), 'Baldur’s Gate 3' (15th, +6), 'Palworld' (19th, +4), and 'Terraria' (32nd, +5). It appears the classics are making a comeback.

Of course, these spikes are often driven by short-term discounts or free giveaways, so do not expect this to be a permanent shift. Steam is a volatile beast where newcomers frequently disrupt the status quo, so this week’s landscape is unlikely to hold. It will be fascinating to see how the Steam charts evolve throughout Q1.

Pre-registration: All eyes on 'Lineage Classic'

As it stands, the pre-registration charts are being dominated by 'Lineage Classic'. Its search volume is simply in a league of its own. With last week’s runner-up, Dugun Dugun Town, now graduated to the mobile games category, there is effectively nothing left to challenge Lineage Classic's solo flight.

Even so, it is refreshing to see a new contender appear: 'Silver Palace', an open-world mystery adventure ARPG from Elementa. The team is running its first closed beta from 13 to 18 January. It is essentially a technical test to get the game into the hands of players and gather vital feedback. If you have been keeping an eye on Silver Palace, make sure you don’t miss this chance to jump in.